Movie Reviews Archives - Page 29 of 45

Stupid or Lazy? Dogs or Bunnies? Boston Rob or Gary Busey?

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Stu Gotz’s weekend involved bunny rabbits and mine involved a dog, so during this “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast we discuss animals. We also discuss being domestic, as the Dude household needs some windows treatments for privacy purposes, while Stu wants my opinion of a person he interacted with over the weekend, and if they were stupid or just lazy.

On the movie front, Stu lets everyone know if “Hop” is destined to be a classic, or at least if it’s any good, and I’m telling you that the movie “Babies” contains a lot of boobies, but not necessarily those you might originally be thinking about. Stu is looking for a Doctor Who coffee mug, I’m looking for a quieter dog, Stu didn’t watch something that had to do about “Burn Notice,” and I’m still wrapped into “Celebrity Apprentice” and “Survivor: Redemption Island.” All of that and more!

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Tron: Legacy

MPAA Rated – PG
It’s 2:05 Long
A Blu-ray Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Tron: Legacy Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde
MPAA Rated:	PG
Released By:	Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date:	April 5, 2011
Kiddie Movie:	It’s a tad violent, so not too young.
Date Movie:	Especially if she’s a little geeky.
Gratuitous Sex:	Skimpy outfits, mostly.
Gratuitous Violence:	It’s Disney and PG, so nothing horrible.
Action:	Lots of chasing and running.
Laughs:	Some snickers.
Memorable Scene:	The Game Grid is cool.
Memorable Quote:	Nothing stands out.
Directed By:	Joseph Kosinski
Cool things about the Blu-ray?	The “making of” stuff is nicely detailed so you don’t get the feeling it was just thrown together, but for shear interactive Tron-ness grab your iPad or laptop and use the Second Screen feature.

I barely remember the original “Tron.” Sure, I played the game on my Intellivision, but in my movie world, if my life depended on remembering any of the story, well, it’s a good thing that “Tron: Legacy” has a 5-Disc, 2-Movie combo pack that includes not just “Tron: Legacy” on Blu-ray, but the original “Tron” on Blu-ray as well, a Digital copy of “Tron: Legacy” for portability, a basic DVD of the new one and, if that weren’t enough, if you’ve popped for that new Blu-ray 3D TV and have been looking for an entertaining movie to watch on it, well, this set has one of those as well! Yup, there is no excuse for you to not be assimilated into all things “Tron,” but so that this review isn’t too long, let’s pick up where the first movie left off…

In “Tron: Legacy” we find that it’s been a number of years since Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) disappeared from his son, Sam’s (Garrett Hedlund), life. Sam has always been a rebellious son, even though technically in charge of ENCOM, his father’s company. As it goes, after ruining a software release for ENCOM and posting bail, his father’s old confidante tracks down Sam and lets him know that he received a page, from Dad. So Sam is on a quest to the old arcade, finds a trap door, gets sucked into the computer game Dad was sucked into, and when he realizes things aren’t well on the Grid (that’s the computer world), he also realizes he can save his Dad.

So, with the help of Quorra, a resident of The Grid, Sam is able to survive a bit, and eventually Sam, Kevin, and Quorra realize that Clu, who is now the “Ruler” of The Grid, is trying to build an army to enter our real world, take it over, and make it better.

Sure, it sounds a little confusing on paper, but even for me, who couldn’t remember a lick of most of the original, “Tron: Legacy” did a nice job of moving along and bringing you into the story. There are some scenes that, if you aren’t watching it in 3D, will say “Come on, already!”, but in terms of entertainment in your living room, I liked “Tron: Legacy” and think you won’t even have to be a geek to like it.

Visually the movie is pretty stunning and part of me would love to run out and buy a 3D TV but damn, I still hate those glasses, even though I’m guessing it looks even better in 3D! Acting-wise things are what they are, but you get some fun action and just some popcorn fun. It’s 3 ½ stars out of 5 for “Tron: Legacy.”

Now in terms of the Blu-ray package and the various extras, gosh, where to start? Well, in terms of normal stuff you get some pretty good looks at how things are made and that, even though technology has made the movie look a hell of lot better than the original, the challenges are still many to bring a movie about a fictional “game” universe to the big screen. Some stuff is throw-away, I suppose, unless you are a Daft Punk fan and really want to watch the video of “Derezzed,” but in terms of shear movie interaction, Disney has included their “Second Screen” extra, which allows you to use your iPad or laptop to follow along with movie, synching the extra coolness, views, and tidbits for you on your device while you watch the movie. It’s pretty cool, and a lot more fun than things just popping up on the TV screen.

So, in the end, I’ve got to say that in terms of movie-packaging, Disney did a great job with “Tron: Legacy,” especially if you opt for the 5-disc package.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Your Highness is High, Storms are Low, TV is On, and Bikes are Ridden.

By: The Dude on the Right

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Storms didn’t materialize where I live, Stu rode a bike, and during this episode of the “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast there is a lot of talk about TV. Yup, I’m still a fan of “Celebrity Apprentice” even though most of the celebrities are idiots, I’m still a fan of “American Idol” even though the judges are idiots, and I’m still a fan of “Survivor: Redemption Island” even though most of the contestants are idiots, and I tell Stu why. Stu, meanwhile, had a quiet weekend alone with the Gotz children as Mama Gotz was away, and with the nice weather Stu went bike riding with his kids. Mama Gotz apparently had a brain fart, “forgetting” all of the goings on that went on during a trip to New Orleans, because Stu had no stories to tell from her, but the both of us had a story to tell as we were of the minority of folks who went to see “Your Highness” over the weekend.

Stu says that “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I” comes out on Blu-ray this week, I say that “Scream 4” and “Rio” hit the theaters this week, I say I had a nice time at a confirmation party, and Stu says, “’nuff said.” And such is another podcast episode!

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Bubble Boy

MPAA Rated – PG-13
It’s 1:24 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Bubble Boy Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Jake Gyllenhaal, Marley Shelton, Swoosie Kurtz, Beetlejuice
MPAA Rated:	PG-13
Released By:	Touchstone Pictures
Release Date:	2001
Kiddie Movie:	Only if you want to try and explain the “Memorable Quotes” listed below.
Date Movie:	Don’t waste your money on bringing them.
Gratuitous Sex:	Talk and the bubble boy in his underwear.
Gratuitous Violence:	The Bubble Boy gets bounced around a little.
Action:	There are some chase scenes.
Laughs:	There could have been a lot more.
Memorable Scene:	The mud wrestling scene.
Memorable Quote:	To give you a feel of the movie: “It’s the Jews, they’re gonna want more money.” and “Pinocchio came out of his bubble, touched the little whore next door, and died.”
Directed By:	Blair Hayes

You know, I’m not really sure what the support group for kids with immune deficiency are bitching about, but “Bubble Boy” offends so many more ethnic and racial groups while leaving Jimmy, this movie’s bubble boy, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, looking like a hero.

I won’t waste too much of your time with this review so here’s a quick story run-down. Jimmy was born with an immunity deficiency which meant if was exposed to any germs he would probably die. His mom keeps him sheltered in his bubble, telling him there is only one TV show, “Land of the Lost” I believe it was. But Jimmy can look out his bedroom window and when the hot babe, Chloe (Marley Shelton) moves in next door, and, well, Jimmy starts to hit puberty, well, Jimmy is in love. But she’s a love he can’t have and when she goes off to marry a loser, well, Jimmy handily crafts a portable bubble so he can go stop the wedding.

So Jimmy’s off to Niagara Falls from like, California, and there are funny stories to tell as Jimmy makes his way across the country, well, at least there should be funny stories to tell. Instead you get jokes about Hindu’s and their sacred cows, Hispanics, hick-towns, cults, side-show freaks, and Jews.

Well, and trust me, this isn’t ruining the movie, but Jimmy makes it in time to stop the wedding and finds out that his mother is a liar.

The movie actually had some potential to be funny, poignant, and cute, but instead went to just make fun of everyone and anything and in doing so it just stopped being funny. Sure there were some cute moments, who wouldn’t think Bubble-Boy body-surfing is sort of funny, but in the end this movie almost seemed to try to take itself too seriously, not about the disease, but about Jimmy’s quest to get his girl, and went for the easy racial/ethnic jokes instead of being creatively funny.

“Bubble Boy” wasn’t horrible, but don’t waste your money on it in the theater or even renting the video. Wait for cable on this one. 1 ½ stars out of 5.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

The Brothers Grimm

MPAA Rated – PG-13
It’s 1:58 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

The Brothers Grimm Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Lena Keadey
MPAA Rated:	PG-13
Released By:	Dimension Films
Release Date:	2005
Kiddie Movie:	There’s some killing and a confusing story, so leave the younger ones at home.
Date Movie:	Only if she likes Monty Python type humor.
Gratuitous Sex:	Just some push-up outfits.
Gratuitous Violence:	There is some killing going on.
Action:	There is some chasing going on.
Laughs:	A couple of chuckles here and there.
Memorable Scene:	The mirror breaking was pretty cool.
Memorable Quote:	“Trust the toad!”
Directed By:	Terry Gilliam

I wasn’t in my “Monty Python” mode going in to see “The Brothers Grimm,” and it probably took me about half of the movie to switch to that mode, but after I did, I really began to appreciate “The Brothers Grimm” a little more. Not enough to really recommend it, but the weird humor that is Terry Gilliam began to surface and I could finally see where he was going. That’s too hard when going to a movie sometimes, and it’s too hard for this one.

In “The Brothers Grimm,” we get Matt Damon and Heath Ledger as Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm. They’ve been making a living with a couple of other cohorts by exploiting old legends. For our introduction to them, they are convincing some townsfolk that they can get rid of the Mill Witch who has been terrorizing the town as of late. And so, with elaborate pulleys and costumes, they stage the destroying of the Mill Witch and collect the cash. But the French have invaded Germany, which is where our boys have set up shop, and aren’t to pleased with them. Facing death or helping the French, Wilhelm and Jacob decide to help the French calm down a town whose girls keep disappearing in the woods. With Angelika (Lena Headey) as their guide, and Cavaldi (Peter Stormare) making sure the brothers don’t try to run away, our heroes find themselves in some sort of enchanted forest, based upon the legend of an old witch. And so, with honest to goodness strange things happening around them, things like trees coming to life, a horse swallowing a girl, and roaches moving the covers off of crypts, well, our heroes find themselves in real-life weirdness that they have to solve, all along with fairy tale references being tossed around like candy (a gingerbread cookie, a Little Red Riding Hood, a “who’s the fairest of the all”, and a frog to kiss, just to name a few).

But this isn’t an easy comedy to get into, unless I guess you are a huge Monty Python-type fan, so it was kind of interesting sitting in the theater, hearing some groups of people laughing at nearly everything, with the other groups probably just wondering what they aren’t getting. Like I said, it took me too long to back into that comedy-style mode, and even then, it doesn’t seem to live up to that kind of humor I remember from other Terry Gilliam projects, I think, mostly, because it gets too bogged down in itself to just let the humor and fun be let out.

There were some good moments, and Matt Damon and Heath Ledger were actually very good in their roles, but unless you love “Monty Python” type humor, I really can’t recommend this one. It’s 2 stars out of 5. This one seems more like a good rental than spending your hard-earned cash at the box office.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Borat

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 1:24 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Borat Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	20th Century Fox
Release Date:	2006
Kiddie Movie:	Only if you want them twisted for life.
Date Movie:	Only if the both of you laughed at the trailer.
Gratuitous Sex:	Almost, and it was really gross, not that anything was wrong with it.
Gratuitous Violence:	Nah.
Action:	A chase scene, in the nude.
Laughs:	Nearly an hour and a half worth.
Memorable Scene:	As gross as it was, the naked scene.
Memorable Quote:	Way too many to list.
Directed By:	Larry Charles

The wonderment is already out there: What scenes in “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” were genuine, and which were staged? Some parts are pretty easy to figure out that Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen) and Azamat (Ken Davitian) are acting to keep the story moving along to keep up with the end plot of the movie (that being Borat wanting to take the virginity away from Pamela Anderson), but for the most part “Borat” ends up being a bizarre look at bigotry, racism objectification of women, political correctness, political incorrectness, and, oh hell, society in general. Pretty much like Sacha Baron Cohen has been doing with his HBO series for a few years now. Here’s the basic run-down…

Borat is supposed to be a television commentator in Kazakhstan. We are introduced to his village where everyone hates his neighbor, his sister (whom he makes out with) is proud of being a great prostitute, and his wife threatens that if Borat cheats on her she will chop off his cock. In any case he has been charged with filming a documentary in the United States to see how life here can help the people of Kazakhstan. At first Borat is just supposed to hang around New York City and interview people, but he also keeps living like he did in the old country, I guess, as he washes his clothes in Central Park, takes a dump in an inappropriate location, and jerks off in front of store windows, in full view of the public. Then, in his hotel room, he is watching a rerun of “Baywatch” and falls in love with C.J. (and who wouldn’t). He learns C.J. is actually Pamela Anderson, and Borat decides to take his documentary cross-country on the quest for his true love.

Along the way Borat continues his documentary, finding himself at a Gay-Pride Parade, a religious revival, a rodeo, a high-society dinner, in a camper with fraternity dudes, and a host of other locations where Borat can show people at their best, and at their worst. And you would think it wouldn’t be easy for Borat to show people at their worst, but for this film it’s almost like shooting fish in a barrel as people tend to show their attitudes about race, women, foreigners, and the right for a man to buy a gun to shoot a Jew if he wants to. And, oh yea, there’s also some nude wrestling, but not the kind I was looking for.

I really don’t want to give too much away about this movie only saying that it has the potential to offend the shit out of you, especially the beat-down Jewish people get, but I suppose everyone gets their share of bashing in this movie, and it’s especially seen in the prejudice of many of the people Borat interviews along the way. But somehow Borat is able to help you see the prejudices, how ludicrous they are, and it made me laugh.

I would like to think the entire film only had two people acting in it, those being Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat and Ken Davitian as Azamat. IMDB also lists comedian Luenell, and has Pamela Anderson as uncredited, which does make sense in the grand scheme of the movie. What is sort of scary is the rest of the grand scheme of the movie and the fact that the rest of the folks on screen either A: Signed away a release of their actions without reading exactly where it was being used, or worse B: Signed away a release of their actions knowing exactly where it was being used (although I could see the college fraternity kids signing away their rights in either case). For me, though, the movie is funny as hell, as well as a little sad, but I’ll tell you what, if some stranger approached me on the street trying to kiss me on the cheeks, I would probably run away from him as well, no matter if his intention was just to say “Hello.”

If the thought of a movie having a scene called “The Running of the Jew” appalls you so much that seeing it during a film would have you walk out, well, you might want to save your money and not see “Borat” because, well, you’ll only see about 5 minutes of the movie. But if anything in the trailer for the film made you laugh my guess is you already understand the humor in the movie, and let me assure you, the trailer doesn’t even show the best parts. It’s 4 ½ stars out of 5 for “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.” It would have been 5 stars except as funny as the nude scene was, it didn’t involve Pamela Anderson.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Tangled

MPAA Rated – PG
It’s 1:40 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Tangled Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	The voices of: Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi
MPAA Rated:	PG
Released By:	Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date:	March 29, 2011
Kiddie Movie:	Not too young, but definite girls.
Date Movie:	Mom and Dad can watch it nicely with the kids.
Gratuitous Sex:	There is some love, but it’s Disney-safe.
Gratuitous Violence:	Cartoon.
Action:	Some chasing and scenes of peril.
Laughs:	Nothing gut-busting, but cute enough.
Memorable Scene:	Nothing was super-special.
Memorable Quote:	Nothing really.
Cool things about the Blu-ray?	Other than the picture looking cool, and the DVD copy for on-the-go, it’s pretty much a movie for the movie. The “making of” segment might be cute for the kids, but the other extras seem to be thrown on there for the sake of having extras.

As I was watching “Tangled,” it occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, Disney is starting to shift the vision of a Princess to the modern times, and I’m thinking it’s a smart thing. I will explain this a little more at the end of this review, but let’s get to the story first.

“Tangled” tells a tale loosely based on the “Rapunzel” story from the Brothers Grimm. Gone is the family that gives their baby to Dame Gothel and in its place is a Princess with magic hair, being kidnapped by Mother Gothel. It seems Mother Gothel, years ago, found a plant that, when she sang to it, would keep her young, but now that the power was transferred to Rapunzel through the Queen drinking flower broth and giving birth to Rapunzel, it seems the magic power is now in Rapunzel’s hair.

Okay, so Mom Gothel kidnaps Rapunzel (voiced by Mandy Moore) and keeps her in a tower for her selfish self, but Rapunzel is getting older, wanting to explore the world, and Mom keeps her at bay by convincing her the world is a bad place. Enter a dude who is far from a Prince, namely Flynn (voiced by Zachary Levi), who finds Rapunzel while on the run after stealing the Princess’ tiara from the castle. And so, yup, adventure ensues as Rapunzel convinces Flynn to take her out of the tower and to the town to see the flying lights, Flynn obliges so that she’ll give him the tiara back, and wouldn’t you know it, our happy couple falls in love.

It’s a nice story, you pretty much know how things will end up, after all it is a Disney movie, but what is great about “Tangled” is that it is smartly written, and rather than just being a princessy Princess, Rapunzel has spunk, yet at times is still just a girl at heart, and the movie does a fantastic job of showing this. Sure, she wants to be pretty, but Rapunzel’s not afraid to get her feet wet or wield a wicked frying pan.

Probably okay for younger boys (they’ll like the Flynn and horse characters), and the girls will relate and love Rapunzel, so I say it’s nice to see Disney taking what could have just been a generic Princess character and turn her into a girl that today’s youngins can relate to.

With that it’s 4 stars out of 5 for “Tangled.” I enjoyed it, it’s a movie I think most can enjoy, and if Disney can keep with this trend of movie I think it might have a future in keeping the Princess motif, but making her a 2010 kind of girl.

As far as the Blu-ray and DVD, I almost hate to say it but you’re pretty much getting this version for the movie, with a smattering of extras. The deleted scenes were pretty much better off cut, sure, you could probably sing along to the extended songs, and the alternate openings were better as alternates. The “Untangled: The Making of a Fairy Tale” is nice enough, probably better for the kids with the banter of Zachary and Mandy, but for me, loving the technical aspects of making films like this, the funniest part was the scene with the women trying to decide the best looking characature for Flynn.

Get the Blu-ray because it looks good, and just enjoy the movie as a smart movie that moves the concept of the Princess nicely into the 2010’s.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 1:30 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Kim Director, Jeffrey Donovan, Erica Leerhsen, Tristen Skyler, Stephen Barker Turner
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	Artisan Entertainment
Release Date:	2000
Kiddie Movie:	Nope.
Date Movie:	Nope.
Gratuitous Sex:	Almost.
Gratuitous Violence:	Some gore.
Action:	More suspense than action.
Laughs:	Well, the movie.
Memorable Scene:	None.
Memorable Quote:	None.
Directed By:	Joe Berlinger

After seeing “The Blair Witch Project” my feelings were simply that those three numbskulls deserved their fate. A circular river, losing your map, no compass, running through the forest in the dark, jeeze, it’s no wonder they ended up dead. After seeing “Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2”, the Blair Witch sequel, my feeling is this – don’t do drugs. Why? Because all is well until it seems our new cast of characters get their hands on some bad weed and a few too many beers and end up doing kooky things and seeing wacky images.

“Book of Shadows” tells the fake re-enactment story of events that happened in Burkittsville after “The Blair Witch Project” was released. You know the stuff, how the crazy people went to the town looking for the fake Blair Witch, how some of the locals sold Blair Witch relics, and even some tour groups that started up. This story centers around one such tour group, their trip into the woods where they smoke some pot and drink some beers (even the pregnant lady), and then weird things start happening that are supposed to be scary and spooky. Like I said before, to me it just seems like they got their hands on some bad dope.

I won’t take up much more of your time because you probably won’t see this movie because you hated the first one that you went to see because you got suckered in by the hype. Not this time, there’s no hype to be found except that it’s the second movie. But my end take is that this could have been a much better movie had the first Blair Witch never been made. I couldn’t help thinking how stupid our first cast of characters were and how our second cast of characters are becoming just as stupid. There are some neat twists and turns in “Book of Shadows,” there’s some nudity this time and some quality gore, but it still gets lost in how stupid people are.

With that I’ll be giving “Book of Shadows” 2 stars out of 5. It could have been better without being a sequel, but I just wondered why people never learn. And, oh yea, don’t do drugs or you too might end up having a miscarriage, or seeing little kids that aren’t really there, or hanging your wife. And, oh yea, part two, if you really want to protect yourself from getting caught, leave the video cameras at home.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

The Bone Collector

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 1:58 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

The Bone Collector Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie, Ed O’Neil
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	Universal Pictures
Release Date:	1999
Kiddie Movie:	I think not, although some dad did bring his 10 year old daughter.
Date Movie:	She might get scared and snuggle.
Gratuitous Sex:	Nothing gratuitous.
Gratuitous Violence:	Some gross out scenes.
Action:	Some suspense.
Laughs:	A line here and there.
Memorable Scene:	One of the victims is tied up and the rats start heading towards him.
Memorable Quote:	None come to mind.
Directed By:	Phillip Noyce

I still can’t quite decide if I liked “The Bone Collector” or not. Sure it had some interesting ways to kill someone. Sure it had some suspense. Sure I jumped a little when the SWAT team’s door flung open. Sure it had one of my newest, favoritist actresses in the likes of Angelina Jolie. But I just didn’t come away with the “Damn that was a good movie” attitude.

Here’s the story. Denzel Washington plays Lincoln Rhyme. He’s stuck in a bed due to a freak accident while investigating a crime scene. He used to be one of the best crime scene detectives out there, but now he just wants to die. Low and behold Angelina as Amelia Donaghy stumbles across a crime scene, uses her wits to preserve the scene before the rain, and gets yelled at for stopping a train. So, the great Ed O’Neil (I miss Married With Children) as Detective Paulie takes the evidence to Lincoln for some insight into the killer, and Lincoln sees a bright spot in Amelia as capable to be a good crime scene investigator. She doesn’t want to, but Lincoln and Paulie pressure her enough so she’s now on her way to a new career.

It turns out the killer is leaving clues for the cops to catch him, or for the cops to blame themselves for not figuring out the clue quick enough, and Lincoln and Amelia are the ones to try to figure out the clues. “Hey, how can Lincoln help if he’s stuck in bed?” Well, Lincoln basically walks Amelia through a crime scene using radio headsets and she brings the clues back to him. But the asshole lead cop, Captain Howard (Michael Rooker), doesn’t like this arrangement and kicks the two off the case. Hey, want some more movie cliches? Well, guess what, the asshole cop turns out to be wrong and Amelia and Lincoln keep investigating even though they are off the case, Amelia and Lincoln have some romantic sparks, and the list goes on.

Alright, the movie had just about every cop/suspense/killer movie cliche there is out there, but it wasn’t too bad except I didn’t buy the sexual tension between Angelina and Denzel at all. The story line wasn’t bad and it led to the obvious conclusion, but I’m thinking you might feel better about seeing “The Bone Collector” if you catch the matinee or wait for video. I will give the movie credit for having some pretty interesting ways for kill people, especially the movie maneuver of knowing exactly how the person was going to be killed yet you’re sitting in your seat going, squirming, because you know exactly what is going to happen.

So, enough rambling. It’s 2 ½ stars out of 5 for “The Bone Collector.” Denzel did a good acting job considering he didn’t have to move much and Angelina did fine as the “not wanting to really do this job” cop, all except the love angle versus the friend angle. Oh well.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Blow

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 2:04 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Blow Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Jordi Molla, Ray Liotta, Paul Reubens
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	New Line Cinema
Release Date:	2001
Kiddie Movie:	Unless you want them to be drug dealers, or users. Actually, maybe you should bring them – it might scare them straight.
Date Movie:	She might get frightened and hold your hand.
Gratuitous Sex:	Some.
Gratuitous Violence:	Some pretty gratuitous violence.
Action:	Not really, it’s more of a drama.
Laughs:	Not really.
Memorable Scene:	Most of the movie is a scene.
Memorable Quote:	None.
Directed By:	Ted Demme

After seeing “Blow” I almost think I can be a drug dealer. Granted I wouldn’t have the guts to get started in the first place, but it was a nice lesson in things to and not to do if you plan on dealing drugs. But first, let’s give you a brief rundown of the story.

In “Blow” you’ve got Johnny Depp playing the real-life drug dealer George Jung. George is one of those guys who just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and in the end at the wrong place at the wrong time. Through the story we get to see George finding himself on a beach in California with his buddy Tuna (Ethan Suplee). Life is well, especially with their being able to hang out with a bunch of stewardesses, and getting high. Paid a visit by another buddy, George realizes that there is a market for good pot on the east coast, hooks up with Derek (Paul Reubens) who can get the pot, but the trick is getting it there. Good for him his girlfriend is a stewardess because their luggage doesn’t get checked at the airport so they are the perfect carriers.

As his east coast business grows, well, George eventually gets caught and winds up doing some jail time. Lucky for him, though, that he ends up meeting Diego (Jordi Molla) who tells George to get to the big time he has to meet Pablo Escabar (Cliff Curtis) and that the real money is in cocaine. George works it big-time, and life is good. But, of course, it’s not. He marries a dudette named Mirtha (Penelope Cruz), gets stabbed in the back by his supposed friends, and loses everything. If only he could make one more run he could get back on his feet and take his daughter away. Oh, if only.

“Blow” is a really good movie, complete with quality violence, a lovely story, it keeps things at a good clip so you don’t really get bored at seeing all of the fun George is having with his life, and Ray Liotta continues to show that he is a top-notch actor. Too much money, too many drugs, and George falls into the same pitfalls as you would think – all roads lead to jail. Too bad George didn’t head some of the following rules (at least we know them now): Don’t get high on your own supply; Women are evil, especially those that, when you comment to them that they should quit doing cocaine because they are pregnant, well, they say that at least they quit smoking; Spend the extra money and launder your money through the United States, or at least a less volatile country, and maybe set up a Swiss bank account rather than store it is said volatile country; Even if you get shot, don’t give up the name of your middleman because your partner will stab you in the back and undercut you; If you clean up your act, don’t attend a party thrown by your wife which is attended by all of your old drug buddies; and, if after a whole bunch of years you run into an old buddy saying he can get you that one last run, one last big score, well, odds are he’s now working for the Feds. Just some rules to live by as a drug dealer.

Anyway, if you’re looking for a good drama with a pretty depressing story, “Blow” just might be the movie for you. Johnny Depp kicks ass as George, showing a weird innocence at mostly just being amazed at what he has been able to do. I give “Blow” 4 stars out of 5.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!